Yesterday, I switched from Effexor XR 150mg to Pristiq. Today, I'm so down, I scare myself, and wasn't much better yesterday. Has anyone else had this experience? I've been on Pristiq in the past, with good results, but stopped it d/t sweats. This time, I'm not even having the sweating! Maybe I'm just not giving it enough time to kick in? I know Effexor has a very short half life, but Pristiq is supposed to be a "second generation Effexor" or sorts, so I would expect the transition to be more seamless. Any thoughts?

I suspect you need to give the Pristiq a little more time. I have never switched meds smoothly but I have read of others who have.

Keep talking with us as we are here to help you.

Gentle HugsKitt

Kitt, Moderator: Osteoarthritis, GERD/HeartburnAnxiety/Panic, & Depression*~* http://www.healingwell.com/donate *~*"When you find peace within yourself, you become the kind of person who can live at peace with others."Not a mental health professional of any kind

transition much easier. effexor 375mg to pristiq, 200mg. over a year now. less sedating than it's derivite, effexor. yes made from effexor but more stronger in it's effect on depressive dx's. will be asking doc to once again to reinstate the abilfy, pristiq works well with complementary mood stabilisers, thus i will be seeking an opinion about this. cheers. jamie

hi, I am day 13 from effexor 300mg (4 years and 225 for 2 on top of that). I am happy to say the worst is over. My experience was awful yet bearable with the help of my boyfriend and loved ones. I had read a lot of the blogs prior to this and was needless to say, very apprehensive about it. Day one, I was okay and thought, "wow, i am stonger than most". Day 2 I felt dizzy, nauseous, and a bit distracted. Day 3-7 I did not leave the house, couldn't focus enough to think straight or drive for that matter. I was vomitting and had terrible sweats. I was sad and angry with very little patience. Once I let my mood escalate I had a hard time calming back down. I worried that Iwas not going to be able to get through the withdrawl. Then came day 8 and things were a bit better, day 9 even more so. I still feel much less patient with things but I am talking myself through that.

I am currently taking pristiq 50mg. but I will discontinue that over my next vacation. I never could have worked or cared for anyone but myself through this process. I know that many people don't have that luxury.

Keep focused and know that your body is getting a chemical out of your system and you will feel it. Let your body do its job and try to remind your head that you are going through a process that will end. That is what helped me. good luck!!!!!

Guess I need to give the Pristiq more time, then. Last time I switched, I wasn't this miserable, but then, I wasn't in a full-blown CFS/fibro crash, either. I have tried weaning off Effexor onto nothing, and thought that was as miserable as I could get. Wrong. At least this time, I'm not having the nerve jolts and brain zaps. That was a truly weird sensation-an electric current going off in my limbs or head! Not too sure I'd have believed in it if I hadn't experienced it.

Welcome to our forum. I can relate to what you are going through as I am on day 2 of medication change and also coming off 225mg of Effexor xl and changing onto Clomipramine 100mg over the next 6 weeks under supervision of my psychiatrist. I feel spaced out today so anxious about the next couple of weeks. I hope your changeover goes well and the Pristiq works well for you. I have spoke to my pdoc re Abilify but he does not think it would work for me which is a shame as I need something to help with paranoid thoughts and nightmares.

I've tried Lexapro, Prozac, and finally xanax.....I have depression and panic attacks. I just started going to a new Dr. who doesn't like xanax.....and he just prescribed pristiq to me......I'm on day 5. I'm waking up every 2-3 hours at night, and STARVING when I wake up at 5....and I'm not getting up at 5 on purpose!!!!! LOL I've been very nausous off and on, but it passes, and my head feels CRAZY....I can't wait to get past day 7, my Dr told me that should be around the time the side effects should disappear.....I've been miserable for almost a year now! My poor family.....and my husband, bless him! I thank God for them all....they are trying to help me deal with it all, but it's been hard trying to find a med that works. I'm hoping this is it! Keep me posted on how you're feeling, and I'll keep you posted! I'm trying to ween off my xanax.....but until the pristiq kicks in fully....it's tough! I'm with you! sending prayers for all!!!!

I am not good at changing meds and I started Wellbutrin 2 weeks ago at 150mg XL. On Day 7 I was upped to 300mg XL and I was a mess. Walking into doors, feeling like I was on an elevator going up and down, had trouble focusing and muscle aches. So after 4 days of this I am in the process of getting down to the original 150 mg which I had seemed to tolerate.

Wellbutrin takes 5-7 days to clear your system. So I am really bouncing around a lot. I really hate the foggy feeling.

Kitt, Moderator: Osteoarthritis, GERD/HeartburnAnxiety/Panic, & Depression*~* http://www.healingwell.com/donate *~*"When you find peace within yourself, you become the kind of person who can live at peace with others."Not a mental health professional of any kind

Wellbutrin did weird things to me-including such colorful dreams, I felt I'd spent the night watching movies, not sleeping. Hope it works for you.

The Pristiq does seem to help my energy level, but I'm having to watch the push-crash CFS thingie. I did tooooo much yesterday (including having about a gallon of blood drawn for a hundred or so labs), and am in a full-fledged crash today. I need to call and change my counseling session from today to tomorrow, if possible.

Hey dream, I just finished day 7's pill last night.....I'm starting to sleep better, and feel a little less of the side effects....how are you doing? I did wake up this morning...at 5:00 am again, and had the shakes and started feeling a panic attack coming on....but it is getting better!!!!! Keep me posted on you! Prayers to all!

Happy to report I'm feeling much better-more energy, but still have to carefully watch the push/crash cycle. My mood is stabilizing some, but still having occasional pity-parties. I suspect those have more to do with learning to accept the depth of my depression problem, and the CFS/Fibro, than the effectiveness of any one ATDP. With the major life and personal changes I've been through in the last couple of months, I'd be suspicious if I DIDN'T get down now and then.

I may already have posted (memory is the pits...), but my ARNP wants to switch me to Savella, depending on the labs I just had drawn, and whether I get an "official" Fibro diagnosis. I'm concerned that it will be the only serotonin agent I can take, and it isn't intended to treat depression. But, then, if Savella could help the constant aches and fatigue, I wouldn't be so danged depressed!

I hate the thougth of just having adjusted to a new med, only to start over again. Why can't things just be simple??

Life is very complicated when it comes to depression and meds. But the best think that you can do is take life one day at a time.

Kitt, it seems like your doctor increased your wellbutrin quite rapidly. When I was on it, it took a month to get up to 200mg, but I couldn't tolerate that. I hope going down works for you. You are in need of some relief. I know that it has been a long road for you.

I switched from prozac to pristiq about 3 weeks ago, and the past four days have been murder. I've been cranky, irritable, moody, manic...and some how with all of this fire, still lethargic and sad...***? my mood has been veering to different poles in a matter of minutes, i feel really out of control- like all i want is to throw my body out of a speeding car...i've been so angry, but it's not anger directed towards others, its like violence to myself, really....when i started the medicine, i had a three day headache that went away, so is it still early enough that this might fade?

Lucio.....I've heard 2-6 weeks for full effects of pristiq to kick in.....I'm on week 2 and feeling better....not GREAT, better! I have a ?????, you've been on it for 3 weeks, could you be PMSing? Just wondering! I'm not excited about going through this for weeks, and then having a set back! Hope you feel better soon!!!!! Prayers!

Women must stand up to big pharma’s bullying them to over-medicate with antidepressants washing out their emotions & personalities and interfering being mothers, sisters, brothers, daughters, partners and lovers.. Women are targeted for antidepressants by big Pharma in the same way that tobacco companies targeted us 70 years ago. Drug companies are so effective at selling unhappiness to women that women take more than twice as many antidepressants as men. http://sadnessaddiction.blogspot.com/